Dead Men Smiling

7.0 WALK IN THE BOOTS OF THE ENEMY

From the outside looking in, it's hard to understand; from the inside looking out, it's hard to explain.

-----

The Emperor was more than ready to strangle Sed when he saw the Witch since the smoke addict decided that it would be funny to not show up for his summoning. His heavy boots thudded against the tiles as he strolled through the halls, calling's Sed's name every few seconds.

He knew that Sed was within grounds because he was told so and actually saw the red eyed blonde walk to the palace. Where was he?

A dull sound thudded causing him to stiffen when it registered in his mind that the sound had come from The Empress' room. Fear gripped his soul as he ran to his room and opened the door only to be met with the sight of The Empress standing well away from a bleeding body of Sed.

He turned his gaze to his wife, ready to ask her if she was fine when he noticed an outraged expression on her face when he eyes landed on Sed. She then looked at him with no expression before walking out of her room, leaving The Emperor with no choice but to follow her.

She walks fast.

When he caught up with her, she was standing in front of a painting of Leilani who was smiling brightly. Nero studied the image before recognizing it as Leilani when she started training to be a proper Royal. He frowned when out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the sudden flash of pain in his wife's eyes before she turned away from the image ad walked further down the hall.

He didn't immediately follow her and closely studied Leilani, realizing why The Empress looked sad; Leilani's smile wasn't genuine.

He walked besides her, taking in the various paintings within the hall, frown growing as he wondered why her smile looked less genuine in each one before stopping in front of one where Leilani was seven and smiling brightly, lighting the whole painting.

"This was before I decided to run for president." He murmured as he reached to touch the painting, secretly hoping that the painting would reveal their daughter. He caught sight of Leilani's name reflected in the glass covering the painting and turned to face the door that led to whatever Leilani at the time had considered her territory.

Before he could open the door, he felt a phantom touch on his shoulder and frowned in curiosity as he turned, only to see no one. He smiled slightly as he registered that his wife had probably stalked off and left him behind.

He faced the door only to lock eyes with her standing before the door with defiance shining in her dark eyes.

He let out a sigh. "Honey, please move."

She shook her head and seemed to plant herself there even more. Nero narrowed his eyes and blew out a whistle of air- a habit he hoped to have shaken off after becoming Emperor- and glared at her.

"Nica, I command you to move."

Her eyes flashed. "And I command you to not enter her room." Her words were backed with a snarl and a low growl.

"What use is it anyway, she's dead."

Nica frowned at his words, looking as if he slapped her. Her eyes held hurt. "How could you-"

He didn't let her finish, he grabbed her wrist and flipped her over his shoulder, ignoring her pained gasp when her back hit the floor. He once again reached for the door when he felt his feet get swiped and he fell forward, hitting his forehead against the door before crumbling.

He turned and faced his smirking wife who wiped the blood at the side of her mouth. "I've always been a better duelist than you, Nero."

She then walked towards him, no doubt about to drag him away from the door when Nero kicked her in the stomach with both his feet, sending her towards the opposite walk to collapse next to the painting of Leilani.

Nero breathed slowly through his nose before turning to face the source of the squeak he heard. He eyed he gangly servant with disgust as he rejected his offered hand to help before glaring at Nica whose breathing was shallow.

He had half a mind to leave her and hope that she dies but deep in his heart, she was still his first love, the girl who gave him flowers and an amazing daughter who later accused of being in The Rebellion before she died.

He sighed and faced the door. "Perhaps you should call the nurse?"

The young man nodded, frowning at Nero's back as he closed the door behind him. He faced Nica and studied her crumpled form before touching the back of her head, palm glowing green. He let out a sigh of relief as The Empress opened her eyes and spoke in a low tone. "I have a message for you from Zach."

That got her attention.

Meanwhile with Nero, he had managed to mess up Leilani's room in search for anything that can help make sense of everything. He caught sight of a tattered black journal on the floor near her book shelf. He made to pick it up when he saw a flash of silver under her bed. He pocketed the journal and walked to the bed and got on his knees to pick the box, smiling in victory.

He walked out of Leilani's room and faced his wife who glared at him with hatred, reminding him that perhaps they had fallen out of love along the way and stayed together due to obligation.

Half way through reading the childish journal, a voice raspy with years from smoking met his ears. He turned, surprised to see Sed who was apologizing for being late because he had got sidetracked by the death of his clone.

"Why was it in my wife's room?" Nero asked with a frown.

"Someone else was there and that someone killed the clone." "Who was it?"

Sed waved a dismissive hand. "That's a story for another day. Your wife however, knows more than she lets on. Perhaps she might be willing to enlighten you on what happened."

Sed then got off the window sill and held out his forearm, extinguishing the cigarette against it, wincing slightly at the sensation.

The Emperor furrowed his brow. "You should really stop doing that." Sed sent him a toothless smile. "Do you want your report or not?" "Fine."

"None of my clones have spotted King since her escape which puts her off the radar. El currently isn't replying to the letters and King Leonardo still hasn't done anything suspicious. But that kid cannot be trusted."

Nero grit his teeth. "I already know all that. Sed, go out there and bring me useful information before I decide that your more useful dead."

Sed shuddered mockingly. "Oh, no. don't kill me and end up on my siblings' kill list and have both hate you." He then smiled at a thought and walked to the open window. "See you around, Nero."

---

Sed ran his copy through, not wanting to see his own face when he realized that they never approached him unless they had something to say. He lit a cigarette and shrugged. "Well, the dead don't talk."

He blew out a smoke ring and manipulated the smoke into two dragons and laughed under his breath as the bigger one snapped at the smaller one.

"Can they get bigger?" He wondered as he took another drag.

"Imitating our mother, little brother?" A sultry voice asked. Sed turned and locked eyes with his sister. He then sighed. "Liz."

She didn't comment as he rolled up his sleeve and extinguished the cigarette. "I assume you're the one who sent that copy to alert me."

She didn't reply because they both knew it was true. The silence washed over them and Sed crossed his arms over his chest, uninterested in the conversation. Liz let out a sigh as she chose her words. "Where is your brother?"

"What do you want, Liz?"

She sighed and explained how she needed to find someone who went by the name of Dolan. Sed furrowed his brow, wondering who Dolan is.

He's a magic user." Liz added. "And I have reason to believe that he is Hex."

The name finally registered. "But he was proven innocent." "By...?"

He gritted his teeth. "Leonardo did something."

"Even if he didn't. The kid's a genius. He got into the cave." "But only you, me and- Please don't tell me that he's helping him." "I won't." "But that's a violation of the family state of secrecy."

Liz rose a brow. "You aren't so innocent, little brother. Neither of us are. You're with Nero and imp working for Jack. Also, no one can know that Dolan is Hex; Jack needs Dolan."

"Let me guess. I can't tell anyone?" Sed snorted as he took out his knife and sliced his palm. He handed the knife to his sister and rose a challenging eyebrow. She scowled and repeated the ritual and held his hand.

"Now our lips are sealed," Sed said and let go after he felt the magic.

Liz smiled slightly. "See you later, alligator."

Sed waved. "In a while, crocodile."

Liz was gone like the wind.

Sed made four more copies. "You find Dolan, you look for Leonardo, you watch The Empress and you, Nero." As the copies disappeared, Sed patted himself and sighed when he found no cigarettes. "Well, damn."